Electrical disconnecting switch



any current rating, by suitable choice of number -of floating contactsand cross-section of current carrying parts. For 1200 ampere currentrating and higher, the required number of floating conf tact memberscan, for instance, conveniently be mounted and enclosed between twosuitably spaced rectangular cross-section bars constituting the vblademember, in a manner otherwise similar to that shown for a tubular blade.

Having thus set forth and disclosed the naturev of this invention, whatis claimed is:

l. An electric disconnecting switch comprising a pair of spaced circuitterminals, an insulating base therefo'n'a bar pivoted at one end to oneof the terminals, the other of said terminals having rspaced portions, apair of levers providing contact elements pivotally supported by the barat the end portion thereof opposite its pivot, a spring tending toseparate the contacts to project the end portions thereof on vone-sideof the pivotal point to a plane beyond the respective adjacent side ofthe bar, a releasing means carried by the pivoted bar movable in onedirection to first release the said contact-elements from pressureengagement with the said spaced portions 'of 4the terminal and'then turnthe bar 'on its pivot,vand a' spring means normallyholding'the releasingcontact elements.

` 2. An electric disconnecting switch comprising a pairof spaced circuitterminals, an insulating base therefor, a bar'vpivotedA-atg'one end toone ofthe terminals, the other of the said terminals .meansfromoperative engagement with the said having opposed portions toreceive the opposite 5o befmoved, a rpair of contact elements within thetube', a pivot pin for`the two'contact elements,`

I ment `with the notches, and spring means yieldably resisting movementof the lever torsdisen- Sage `the same.

Y 3. In an electric disconnecting switch, a pair of circuit terminals, abase supporting the same,

a tube pivoted at one end to`one of the terminals,

the''otherterminal having spaced portions between which theODDOSiteend-of the tube may each of said contactr elements having Vopposedconcave portions engaging the pin and outer convex Aportions eachAcontacting the inner surface fof the tube, the ends of the contactelements adjacent the endj'of the tube having portions pro- 'jectablethroughthe respective openings inthe ftubewall provided therefor, aspring between fthe' saidproject'ing portions and the pivot pointtending' to turn the projectingportions outwardly, and a manuallyoperable means carried by ythe tube having a portion insertable b etweenthe other ends of the contact elements to turn ythe same on V the pivotandwithdraw the said, projecting' portions' from contact with the spacedportionsr ofl n said other terminalr and turn the bar on the pivot anelectric circuit, a base for supporting the same Y v,to "electricallydisconnect theterminals.

4. An electrical disconnecting switch comprising a pair of.spacedterminals for connection in in fixed relationship, a contactmember hinged n at one end to one of the said terminals, pivotallysupported contact elements in the opposite end of the contact member,the terminal forthe said end having spaced contact portions havingoutwardly and oppositely inclined terminal ends, a spring tending toseparate the said contact elements on one side of the pivotal point andto project end portions thereof respectively beyond the plane of therespective adjacent sides of theysaid f hinged contact member. saidspaced terminals contact member to beturned on its hinge point,

and spring means tending to hold the releasing element from operativeengagement with the contact elements. v

5. In an electric vdisconnecting switch, apair ofA circuitterminals, aninsulating base therefor, a tube pivoted at one end to one of theterminals, the other, terminal having opposed spaced portionsprovidedwith notches between which the opposite end of the tube may bemoved, a pair of contact elements pivotally supported in said oppositeend of the tube, saidtube having opposed openings through which'portions of the contact elements may4 respectively be moved, a spring`tending to move the vsame to projected position and to engage in thenotches when the said end` ofthe tube and contact elements are movedbetween-said spaced portionsv of said other terminal, saidcontactelements each having portions in engagement with the tube when inthe projected position, and a` releasing means comprising a leverpivoted to the tube and having a portion extending through an apertureprovided therein to the interior thereof, the portion in the interior ofthe tube having a part engageable between the ends of the pivoted'contact elements ,to withdraw the same from engagement with thenotches, the arrangementdbeing such that the hand of theoperator inactuating the lrelease mechanism applies pressure to the tube wherebyupon release of the contact elements' the tube is turned on its `pivotand electrically disconnects the said terminals.

vments in the tubular bar adjacent one end, a

pivot lpin therefor, said contact elements each Vhaving a portionforward of the pivot and the tubular bar having openings through whichsaid forward portions` may vextenda spring tending to move the saidportions'of ythe contact elements outwardly on'opposite vsides of thetubular bar to project beyond the surface of the tube, the said contactelements having similar end portions rearwardly of the pivot formed withoppositely inclined V surfaces, each contact element having a concavearcuate portion on the respective opposite sides of the pivot pin andhaving convex arcuate portions on the outery faces normally engaging theinner wall of the tubular bar at 'any point of pivotal movement of thecontact elements therein, said spaced portions of said otherterminalhaving notches below the throat of the opening beneath which thecontact 'elements engage when the tubular -bar is moved to position thesame therein, a release element pivotedtouthe exterior ofthe tubular barand having e a portion extending -thereinto formed with a `surface toengage between the inclined surfaces of the contact elements whereby thesaid elements through'operation of the release member are withdrawn fromthe notches there- "by permitting the tubular'bar to `be `swung on itspivot bythe strain imposed" vthereon in releasing the contact elements.e ,i t

7. `Anelectrical disconnecting `switch compris- `ing a terminal forconnection inan electric circuit, a contact member hinged at Voneendthere-` to, a pair of spaced terminals lfc'nftheother, end of thecontact member havingy outwardly/turned ends" to` receive the` same,ajpairof contact elements pivotaily supported by the contactmember, aspring tending to pressthe contact elements outwardly `in oppositedirections thereby causing portions of the same on one `side of thepivotaipoint thereof to project beyond the respective faces oftheContact member whereby, in turningthe contact member to closed position,thefsaid contact elements engage between the spaced terminals,` saidcontact elements Von the opposite side of the `pivot point terminatingrespectively in opposed inclined faces forming a V space therebetween,`and areleasing member pivotally `supported `by the `contact member` andhaving a"V shaped end portion aligned with the said V spacewhereby onmanually turning the same inone direction the contact elements areturned `to disengagement with the said spaced terminals and permittingthe contact member to `be freely `turned on itspivot. e l

8.*An `electrical disconnecting switch `comprising a terminalforconnection in an electric circuit; a contact memberhinged at oneendthereto, a-pair of spaced terminals for the other` end ofthe contactmember having outwardly turned ends to receive the same, a pair ofcontact elements pivotally supported by the Contact member, fa springtending to" press the contact elements outwardlyin opposite directionsthereby causing"`portion`s` of the same on one side of lthe `pivotalpoint thereof toproject beyond the re-` spectivefaces of the contactmember whereby, in turning thecontact `member to closedjposition,` thesaid contact elements engage between the spacedterminalsgsaid `contactelements on `the opposite side ofithepivot point terminatingrespectively in opposed inclined faces forming a V, space therebetween,and a'releasing` member pivotally supported bythe contactmember andAhaving a V shaped end portion aligned with the said V space whereby onmanually turning fthe 'same in one direction` theicontact elements areturned to disengagement with the said spaced terminals andpermittinggthecontact member to be freely turned on its'pivot, and spring meanstendingfto hold saidfvtshaped end portion of the releasing member `outof operative relationship withtthe said inclined faces of the contactelements` l l f V 9. An electrical disconnecting switch, comprising 'astationary contact member, a conventionally hinged blade member, anauxiliary contact assembly, consisting of members, pivotally supportedand mounted within the free end of the blade memberin such a way that aconducting and self aligning bridge, is formed between the stationarycontact member and the movable blade member when the switch is closed,the closing operation automatically causing a sliding movement atthecontact surfaces under high unit pressure for the purpose-of cleaningthe said surfaces; Aprojections on the said pivotally supported membersfor lautomatic latching with corresponding projections on fthestationary contact member when the switch is in the closed position toprevent accidental opening;` means for actuating the saidpivotallysupported contact members to release the Contact pressure between themember and the stationary contact member and 4unlatch the blade memberpermite ting free opening of the switch without hindrance from contactfriction or sticking due to freezing or other atmospheric conditions.

`10. An electric disconnecting switch comprising al pair ofspacedcircuit terminals, anvinsulating base therefor, a bar pivoted at one endto one of theterminals, theother of said terminals having` spacedportions, a pair of levers providing` contact elements pivotallysupported by the bar at the end portion thereof opposite its pivot, a.spring tending `to separate the contacts to project the end portionsthereof Vonione side of the pivotal point to a planebeyond therespectiven adjacent side of the bar, and a releasing means carried bythe pivoted bar movable in one direction to first release the saidcontact elements `from pressure `engagement with the said spacedportions of the terminal and then turn the` bar on its pivot.

11. In an electrical disconnecting device,`a separable mechanismcomprising a receiving terminaL having `spaced portions and a hollow barlof"`electrical1y` conducting material ,having oppositely disposedopenings, a` pair of contact elements positioned within the hollow barmember, said contact elements each having a portion thereof contactingthe inner surface ofthe hollow gbartand a portion spaced` therefrom andprojecting outwardly through the respective opening in the `hollow bar`and contacting the respective portion of the receiving terminalwhenin-closed position, and `a spring between the` contact elementspressing the same respectively outwardly to `engage the respectivespaced portions of the receiving member, the said contact elements underthe spring pressure each forming a self-aligningv conducting bridge be-`tween.the respective portion of the receiving memberand the said hollowbar member.

OLAV MASENG,

